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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1656      2001 Jly 18 07.37UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                    http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer
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SUPERNOVA 2001de IN UGC 12089 (Q2001/230)
On 2001 July 15, Mark Armstrong reported he had detected a possible
supernova in UGC 12089 on a single 30 second image with the 0.30-m
LX200 and Hale CCD on July 13. The magnitude 18 object's position:
RA 22h 34m 18.03s DEC +50 24'54.4" (2000).
Follow-up images on July 14.95, 15.05, 15.95 confirmed the object
did not move and asteroid/variable checks yielded no candidates.
After it was established the object was absent from Mark's master
of 2000 Sept 23, Tom Boles kindly supplied his image of
1999 Sept 23 which also did not show it. Ron Arbour obtained a
confirmation image of July 15 with his 0.30-m f/6.3 telescope
on a 2 minute integration.
Congratulations again to Mark on this further success.
The IAUC announcement follows:

Guy M. Hurst, Basingstoke, England, reports the discovery by Mark
Armstrong, Rolvenden, Kent, of an apparent supernova (mag 18.0) on
unfiltered CCD images secured for the U.K. Nova/Supernova Patrol on
July 13.967 UT with a 0.30-m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.  The
following precise position by Armstrong is the average of two
images: R.A. = 22h34m18s.06, Decl. = +50o24'54".7 (equinox 2000.0),
which is 1" west and 10" north of the centre of UGC 12089.
Confirming images were obtained by Ron Arbour, South Wonston, U.K.,
on July 15.935 and by Armstrong on July 15.949 (when SN 2001de had
showed brightening to mag 17.4).  Armstrong adds that the new
object is absent from his own CCD image taken on 2000 Sept. 23
(limiting mag 19.5), and it is absent from Palomar Sky Survey
images taken on 1987 Oct. 17 (blue, limiting mag 22.5), 1989 Aug.
27 (red, limiting mag 20.8), and 1990 Oct. 28 (infrared).
IAUC 7664

SUPERNOVA 2001dd IN UGC 11579
Pierre Antonini, Bedoin, France, reports his discovery of a
supernova (mag about 17) on unfiltered CCD exposures taken with a
0.30-m reflector on July 13.07 and 13.88 UT.  Confirming images
were obtained by J. Lecacheux at the Pic du Midi 1-m reflector on
July 14.0.  The new object is located at R.A. = 20h30m54s.08, Decl.
= -0 39'26".9 (2000), which is 15" west and 25" south of the
nucleus of UGC 11579.  Images taken by Antonini on June 22.1
and 26.1 show nothing at this position (limiting mag about 17.5),
and the object does not appear on a Digital Sky Survey image taken
on 1953 Aug. 16.29 (limiting mag about 21).
IAUC 7663 (extract)

SUNSPOT OF 1128AD
Subscribers may wish to refer to copies of the Daily Telegraph
for July 17 in connection with a report from Professor Richard
Stephenson that John of Worcester drew naked eye sunspots in
1128AD from England. It appears that although Chinese 'notes' of
such events exist more than a thousand years before, this may be
the first 'picture' of sunspots to be found and confirmed.

Further notes on why this news item may be important to TA
members will be revealed shortly.


Guy M Hurst